The Saint and the Angel
by StarRuby
Summary: Meimi's father died in a magic trick accident. She's stopped her thieving missions. Now she's back and she meets a new thief on her mission.
1. Watch Out, Detectives! They're Both Back

The Saint and the Angel

**(Fallen, that is)**

**Rating: **PG – mild swearing

**Disclaimer:**Well, I wish I owned Saint Tail, but I don't. I don't own anyone in this fic. *sobs*

**A/N:** Well, no one was posting anything new or updating the Saint Tail fanfiction, so I decided to help it along! Oh, and my knowledge of Kaitou Fallen Angel (and the manga of St. Tail) is very minimum. I'm doing this of my own imagination and things I've read in other's fics. Thanks! Oh, and the chapters will tend to be a little long. Hope you don't mind.

**A Little Background: **Meimi's father, Haneoka Genichirou, was killed during a magic show. One of his tricks went wrong and he was killed in a fire. Saint Tail has stopped carrying out her missions. Now, three months later, Meimi thinks she's up to helping some more 'lost lambs.' After all, a lot of people count on her when they have nowhere else to turn.

~

**Episode One: **Watch Out, Detectives! They're Both Back!

Haneoka Meimi trudged slowly down the street, heedless of the masses of students rushing by her in an attempt to be on time. Her lake blue eyes were blank and almost glazed over, focused on the ground while not really seeing anything. She only looked up when a voice shouted out her name.

"Hey, Haneoka! You're going to be late!" Her eyes immediately shot up and locked on the young man running by her. His dark green hair fluttered across his forehead and his dark eyes were a bit groggy, as if he wasn't totally awake yet. As always when she saw Asuka, Jr., she felt a tickling sensation near her heart and managed a smile.

"It seems like you will, too, Asuka, if you don't hurry," she replied, accelerating into a sudden sprint. He blinked in surprise at this quicksilver change, but sped up himself to catch up with her. "Ohaiyou, Seira!" he heard her greet as she dashed past a girl with short brown hair and purple eyes. The two of them skidded into the classroom just as the bell rang. Meimi blinked when she saw Seira there already, sitting quietly. "H-h-ho-how did you-?" Seira just smiled as Meimi and Asuka took their seats.

After school, Meimi jogged to the chapel, ready to tell Seira that Saint Tail was ready to help some lost lambs again. When she told the young nun-in-training this, she smiled. "That's good," Seira said, "because I just had one come in to tell me their troubles. You see..."

_~Flashback~_

_A young girl with short brown hair and emerald eyes looks up at the nun-in-training. "I don't know what to do," she says. "You see, the other day, I had just come back from receiving a gift from my deceased grandmother. It was the Bara no Chi, a man-made rose with petals of pure ruby and a stem of emerald. She gave it to me as an heirloom. You see, it's a priceless charm said to ward off loneliness. I was riding on the bus back home, and I guess it was careless, but I accidentally left it on the bus!" Tears start flowing from her eyes as she speaks. "I later found that my boyfriend, Chugen Mamoru, stole it. He often sells rare items and he said he was going to sell my rose! I can't tell the police... because I think he also stole the papers that said I was the real owner!" The sobs come in harder now, and she puts her face in her hands. "I don't know what to do!"_

_Seira gently pats her on the shoulder. "Don't worry. God is with you."_

_~End Flashback~_

"The girl was Arashi Usagi, and Kaitou Saint Tail is the only one she can turn to," Seira finished. Meimi nodded seriously and then smiled.

"Well, Usagi-chan shouldn't worry. Saint Tail is back, and she's going to get back her Bara no Chi!" she said confidently.

~

Asuka yawned as he did his homework, sprawled out on his bed. He put his pen down, about to get a drink of water, when it suddenly started writing by itself. His jaw dropped as he read the message. "Tonight, at 10 pm, I'm going to the Chugen mansion to get the Bara no Chi! Catch me if you can! 

St.*Tail."

Blinking, his gaze followed the pen as it stopped moving and fell back onto the bed. He didn't pay much attention when his father, Asuka Sr., gave a shout.

Downstairs, Detective Asuka stared at the window with wide eyes. A message written in black was on the window. "Hey, Detective, I'm back! Maybe we'll meet tonight at the Chugen mansion, where I'll be stealing the Bara no Chi. It'll look lovely on my dresser. Come for me if you dare. 

Kaitou Fallen Angel." 

His breathing came a little faster than normal and he sprinted to his car to warn the rest of the police squad.

~

Meimi hopped out the window with Ruby on her shoulder and sprinted to the chapel, where Seira was waiting. They smiled at each other, and then Meimi clasped the Cologne Pendant and held it to her chest. "Lord, please forgive me, for I use no trick or gimmick. One! Two! Three!" With a flash of cards, streamers, confetti, and a magic hat, she was transformed into Kaitou Saint Tail! She smiled happily, a sense of warm familiarity rushing to meet her, being back in the old thieving uniform. She clasped her hands together, put her head in front of Seira's, and together they prayed.

"May the blessings of God be with us," they said together. With a smile, Saint Tail handed Ruby to Seira and set off for the Chugen mansion, without another word. They didn't need to say anything.

Meanwhile, back at the Haneoka residence, Haneoka Eimi, Meimi's mother, slipped on a skin-tight black leotard. She pulled on black boots and gloves before doing her hair in a high braid. She sighed and stood still for a moment, feeling the old exhilaration return to her. With a cunning smile, she vaulted out her window and towards the Chugen mansion.

In front of the case that held the Bara no Chi, Asuka Jr. and his father blinked at each other in confusion, but decided they were both there for the same reason. They stood right by the rose, while Mamoru sighed worriedly. If the police found out how he'd gotten those ownership papers... He shook the thoughts out of his mind. However, none of them noticed a security guard who seemed a little... out of place. It was a woman guard, with her bangs shadowing her eyes, and a long braid coming from under the hat. Step by step, she was inching ever closer to the rose.

She was a little surprised when the window above them exploded into a whirl of confetti. A girl dressed in black, with a pink skirt was standing there, a pink wand in one hand and a black hat in the other. The lighting cast a shadow over her eyes, but you could see the grin on her face. Her hair was almost the same color as the odd security guard's, but done in a high ponytail instead of a braid. 

"It's Show Time!" she shouted, and smoke filled the room. It didn't seem to do anything but blind everyone, and had the sweet smell of cherry blossoms. With an annoyed huff, Kaitou Fallen Angel ripped off the security outfit.

"It is NOT show time!" she hollered. She flung herself at the direction of the case and felt herself thud into the other thief, who seemed to be younger. "Out of my way," she snarled, and snatched the rose, her fingers gripping it firmly, yet delicately. The fog faded, and Fallen Angel was already sprinting towards the window. 

Saint Tail, blinking in surprise at this other intruder, was thrown onto the ground. "GET HER!" both Asukas yelled, each pointing at a different thief. Saint Tail vaulted herself onto her feet and ran towards the rogue thief.

"GET BACK HERE WITH THAT ROSE!" she yelled. "One! Two! Three!" The window shut right as the other thief reached it. She smirked, her gaze following the police running after Saint Tail and herself. Right before Saint Tail reached her, Fallen Angel kicked the window open, glass shards flying everywhere, and flipped herself onto the roof. All the others pursued her. She waited at the ledge as Saint Tail and the others approached.

"Bye, bye everyone. It was nice seeing you all again, and meeting you two," she added, nodding at Asuka Jr. and Saint Tail. With that, she took a step backwards and fell off the roof. Saint Tail let out a yelp and ran to the side, looking down. There was nothing. With wide eyes, it hit her that the Bara no Chi had slipped from her grasp. She had failed. The realization hit her hard. With nothing but shocked numbness and despair in her mind, she turned to face the police.

"One. Two. Three!" she chanted, tapping her hat with her wand. A pink ribbon wrapped around her and she was gone. Asuka Jr. and his dad sighed, each thinking the same thing.

"She got away again!"

~

Saint Tail returned to the chapel in a daze, not even bothering to leap from roof to roof. She gently pushed the door open, walked up to Seira, and then sunk to her knees. "I... didn't get it," she whispered, trying to blink back the tears that were threatening to spill. "There was another thief there, an older one. She took it. And the weird thing is, she fell off the roof in front of me, but when I looked, she was gone." Seira's eyes got wide.

"Kaitou Fallen Angel," she whispered. At Saint Tail's puzzled look, Seira went on to explain. "Kaitou Fallen Angel was an infamous thief, when our parents were our age, as a matter of fact. She sent Detective Asuka Sr. notes, much like you send Asuka Jr. warnings. But she was never caught. She stole for herself, never to help anyone, though. But after a while, she just vanished. No one ever heard from her again. They called her Fallen Angel because of the way she left. She clutched the stolen item, bid her pursuers goodbye, and then fell backward off the roof, vanishing. I'm surprised you haven't heard of her." Saint Tail blinked.

"No, I haven't heard of her. One. Two. Three..." She snapped her fingers and Saint Tail was once more Meimi. "I don't think it was an imposter. She looked the right age to be the real Kaitou Fallen Angel. But she stole the rose..." Meimi sighed. "Failing at a mission... There's something I hope I won't have to get used to."

The next morning, it was all over the papers. "**KAITOU FALLEN ANGEL AND SAINT TAIL BACK AGAIN!**" "**KAITOU SAINT TAIL'S CAPER THWARTED BY FALLEN ANGEL!**" It was devastating how many different headlines there were, how many people knew. Asuka was fuming. So was Meimi.

At the same time, they both bellowed, "WHO DOES THIS FALLEN ANGEL THINK SHE IS?!"


	2. A Determined Saint! The Blood Rose Will ...

The Saint and The Angel

**(Fallen, that is)**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, Saint Tail's not mine... Looks like I got some assassinations to do... *evil laughter* *hacking cough* Or not... Heheheh. Nah, not my anime/manga. Only thing that belongs to me is the plot. On second thought, this has been done before... um, the fic's mine! Yeah!

**Author's Note: **It's official. This fic won't die for a while! I actually made the second chapter! *hops up and down in glee* Yeah, there's my spurt of cheer for today... *curses final exams* Oh, and whenever I refer to Asuka, I mean Asuka Jr. Asuka Sr. will be referred to as Asuka Sr.

~

**Episode Two: **A Determined Saint! The Blood Rose Will Return!

Eimi, standing in her room, admired her handiwork. The rose stood in a glass case, the emerald stem and leaves glittering in the sunlight emanating from the window. The delicate ruby petals shone elegantly. With an expert thief's delicacy, she lifted the glass off and cupped the blossom in her hand. Her first outing in such a long time, and she found she wasn't as rusty as she worried. The smile present on her face only dampened when she thought of that other little thief she encountered. Saint Tail... But hey, it was good practice. If Kaitou Fallen Angel could cause Saint Tail's first ever failure, then her next 'outing' would be a snap.

With a smile, Eimi placed the case back over the rose, muting the glitter of the carved gems. "Wards off loneliness, huh?" she mused to herself. That was the reason the Bara no Chi was her first sought item. Genichirou had been the reason she stopped stealing. But now he was gone. She winced internally, thinking of him, and what he would think if he knew now that she had resumed thieving. Heaving a sigh, she placed a hand lightly on the glass. Then, her thief's ears picking up near-silent footsteps, she quickly pushed the rose into her closet, right when a knock came from the door. Closing the closet doors, Eimi turned to the door and opened it. Her daughter, Meimi, was standing there. 

"Hey, Mamma!" she greeted cheerfully. But there was something about her eyes. Something downcast that Eimi thought had faded. But now it was back again. Whatever it was, though, didn't shine through her happy voice. "Shall I make breakfast?" she asked. Meimi had never cooked often before, but had recently been getting better at it. Eimi smiled.

"Sure." _In the meantime, I'll need to hide that rose somewhere,_ she thought. A smile flickered on the corners of her lips as an idea came to her.

~

After breakfast, Meimi raced out of the house and straight to the chapel. It was Saturday, after all, and she would get that Blood Rose back no matter what! Seira was waiting for her, a somber expression in those violet eyes of hers. "I've found where the Bara no Chi is," she said quietly. Meimi inclined her head slightly, signaling for Seira to go on. "It's..." she hesitated for a moment before continuing, "The rose is in the Asuka residence, on the second floor, hidden under Asuka Sr.'s bed," she finished. Meimi blinked.

"WHERE?!" she exclaimed in disbelief. But then she just shook her head and went to send her warning. Luckily, on her way out, she ran into Asuka Jr. "Watch where you're going!" scolded Meimi and Asuka in unison. They blinked. Realizing her chance, Meimi snapped her fingers quietly behind her back and the air between the two exploded in pink and yellow confetti. A pink note fell into Asuka's hand. 

"Tomorrow night, at precisely 9 PM, I will complete my mission and visit the Asuka residence to get back what has been taken. The Bara no Chi will be recovered!

St.*Tail." Asuka freaked out after he read the note.

"HOW DARE SHE?" he bellowed. "Attempting to steal something from MY OWN HOUSE!!!" He fumed for a moment longer when he realized what was being stolen. Then he sighed. "Well, there's no way she can steal something that's not there, so I'll just capture her when she realizes it's not there!" he told himself. Meimi bit her lip and prayed Seira was right about the rose. 

~

The next evening at 8:30 PM, Asuka Jr. and his dad paced around the kitchen in anxiety and annoyance. Security guards were stationed all over the house. When the clock finally hit 8:55, Asuka Jr. headed upstairs, where he was confident St. Tail was going to appear. Luckily, absolutely none of the business of her stealing the rose leaked into the media, so St. Tail definitely didn't think Fallen Angel would be there. Currently, though, Meimi was at the chapel, the Cologne Pendant clasped in her hands.

"Lord, forgive me, for I use no gimmick or trick," she whispered. "One! Two! Three!!" In a whirl of cards and confetti, the infamous Saint Tail stood, wand in hand, in the center of the chapel. She bowed her head with Seira and they both prayed. "May the blessings of God be with us." With a nod, they grinned at each other.

"You sure you can handle this, Meimi?" Seira inquired seriously. "After all, you'll be operating on Asuka's home territory." Saint Tail just smiled and nodded.

"I wouldn't be doing this if I thought I couldn't. And anyway," she added, "if the Lord wills it so, I will return the Bara no Chi at all costs!" She shot a grin at Seira and raced for the Asuka residence. 

Slipping silently under the first floor window, St. Tail glanced into it. Security guards were all around, but neither Daiki Asuka nor his dad were anywhere. _They must be upstairs, waiting for me,_ she thought with a smile. "Well then," she whispered quietly to herself, "I'll just have to pull something different. One. Two. Three..." she whispered and snapped her fingers. The lights in the house all went out just as the moon was obscured by clouds. It was pitch black. St. Tail carefully slipped a rose into the door, snapped her fingers, and opened it. Slipping in past the security guards, she headed cat-like upstairs.

With a hesitant glance around, she detoured into Asuka's room. A smile graced her face as she looked around. She had been in there once, giving Asuka a message, writing it on his face for humor. It was still the same room. Taking a deep breath, she was unprepared when a flashlight beam suddenly caught her in its glare. Luckily, her reflexes kicked in instantaneously and her arm was shadowing her face as the beam settled there. "Asuka," she gasped, surprised.

"It's stupid trying to steal something from my own home," he said bitterly. St. Tail quickly whirled around and fled the room. The pounding of footsteps followed her as she burst into his dad's room and flung herself onto the ground in a roll. Asuka growled as she rolled under his dad's bed. He hopped on top of it and looked down at the other side. Meanwhile, St. Tail snatched the Bara no Chi, its glorious shine muted by the glass case on it. With a triumphant smile, she held it close to her chest and rolled back out, to Asuka's back. Unfortunately, his dad came out of the shadows and dived at her. With a yelp, she back flipped out of his reach and then ran around him to the window. Remembering Kaitou Fallen Angel, she gave a small smile and kicked the window open, not breaking it though. She hopped out of it and released her balloons from her hat. Hanging from the bow on it, she floated away, watching Asuka stick his head out of the window.

"I'LL GET YOU, SAINT TAIL! I'LL GET YOU SOONER OR LATER!!! YOU CAN COUNT ON IT!! I WILL BE THE ONE TO CAPTURE YOU!!" he hollered at her. Another smile traced itself across her lips and she turned away from him, towards the moonlight. Then, with a sudden impulse, she turned her head back to him, golden red ponytail waving behind her like a banner.

"Hey, do me a favor!" she called. "Tell the newspapers that no matter what, Kaitou Saint Tail gets the job done! And tell Kaitou Fallen Angel that she can kiss my-," she paused, let out a soft laugh and then vanished into the horizon. 

Meanwhile, Arashi Usagi sat, swinging slightly on the swing at the park. With a sigh, she looked up and, blinking her wide green eyes, she caught a glimmer of red and green. Immediately hopping off the swing, she squinted to get a better look. It was attached to a bunch of colorful balloons. "The Bara no Chi!" she exclaimed happily, eyes full of realization. She held out her hand and the ownership papers appeared. "Whoa," she whispered, as the rose landed safely in her other hand.

~

The next day, Monday ((A/N: Remember? The challenge issued on Saturday said the caper would be the next night, Sunday night, so the next day would be Monday. Convenient, ne?)), Meimi and Seira grinned at each other when they read the paper.

**"KAITOUT SAINT TAIL STRIKES AGAIN!" "BARA NO CHI RECOVERED TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER!" "A CONFLICT BETWEEN TWO LEGENDARY THIEVES?" **Personally, Meimi liked the last one. Like she requested, Asuka had put her comments into it. The press was quite enthusiastic to have direct quotes from Saint Tail herself.

Eimi was reading the paper at the same time, and she was fuming. "How dare that little pest!" she muttered to herself. "I'll get her back..."


	3. Conflicting Interests! A Fist Fight?

The Saint and The Angel

**(Fallen, that is)**

**Disclaimer: **I OWN SAINT TAIL!! BUAHAHAHA!! Just kidding... I wish I did, but I don't. Don't sue. Only the fic is mine. *sigh*

**Author's Notes:** Well, erm, thanks for that review! ^-^ I'm glad you like it! Er, that's it for now. *sweatdrop*

~

**Episode Three: **Conflicting Interests! A Fist Fight?

Meimi quickly sprinted to the chapel after school, hoping that if Seira found another lost lamb, that Fallen Angel wasn't going after the same thing. As she approached the entrance, she slowed down, watching a young man come out, his blue eyes worried, running a hand through his ebony hair. Meimi looked inside to find Seira waiting for her. "Don't tell me," Meimi said. "That was the person who needs our help, right?" The nun-in-training nodded, a somber expression to those purple eyes.

"You see, Meimi, this boy, named Kihara Shinji, has a bow and arrows. The arrows are made of pure diamond, and the bow of pure gold with a string of copper. That weapon was said to be used by the gods, to pierce the hearts of those who were full of sorrow and bring them love. And he has just received word from the police that Kaitou Fallen Angel is to steal it tonight." Meimi's blue eyes began widening. "And he knows the police have been after her so long. He needs divine help tonight, Meimi. He'll need it. You must protect that weapon. Just for reference, it's called the Hitan no Ai. _Sorrow's Love_." Seira looked into her friend's eyes as she nodded, affirming that she would protect it. 

"I sense a pattern of sorts," Meimi commented thoughtfully. "First, the Bara no Chi said to get rid of loneliness. Now the Hitan no Ai said to eliminate sorrow." Seira nodded. But before she could caution the young thief, Meimi held up a hand. "I know, I know. This Fallen Angel is dangerous, I'm not to do anything too risky or anything that can jeopardize my identity and get us caught, right?" The nun-in-training nodded, a smile forming at the corners of her mouth. Meimi took out a marker, scribbled on a small pink note, and then snapped her fingers. The note vanished in a puff of pink smoke and reappeared in a small explosion of confetti when Asuka opened his Math book.

"Dear Mr. Detective,

Haha! I'm taking your job tonight! I'll be at the Kihara residence, protecting the Hitan no Ai. If you want to catch me there, go ahead and try. I'm warning you, though, there might be another guest coming! Don't get in my way,

St.*Tail."

His brows furrowed as he read the letter in confusion. Protecting something? That'd be a first. But Asuka did know that the guest would be Kaitou Fallen Angel. His dad had told him about it. And he also knew that Saint Tail had something against this Fallen Angel, something that made their encounter personal. But Asuka would be there. He'd always be there.

~

Meimi had stayed in the chapel, not that her mom would mind. After all, Haneoka Eimi hadn't seemed to mind a whole lot anymore. So, all she had to do was climb back into her room, grab her pendant, and race back to the chapel, where she waited. Finally, when she thought it was about time, she heaved a sigh, and then clutched the pendant tightly. "Lord, please forgive me, for I use no gimmick or trick. One, two, three!!!" she exclaimed, and then Saint Tail stood there. She bowed her head, her orange hair pressed against the white of Seira's nun habit. "May the blessings of God be with us," they said in unison.

"Good luck, Saint Tail," Seira said quietly. "This is going to be a mission like you've never had before. So be careful, got it?" Saint Tail nodded and smiled at Seira, grateful for her warning. She knew it would be dangerous; there would be no escape possible. Would Asuka try to catch her? Or would they work together? Well, the only way to find out was to go there. Sighing, she bid Seira farewell and hopped from roof to roof on her way to the Kihara residence. 

Asuka and his father were already there, waiting. Asuka himself was unsure of what he was going to do when Saint Tail was arrived. Well, he had to cut his inner debate short because there was a distant sound of, "One, two, three!" as the window opened. His gaze locked on the young thief as she looked around the room, then spotted the Hitan no Ai. Behind it was Kihara Shinji himself. His eyes widened as he realized whom the intruder was.

"Saint Tail!" he exclaimed. "I didn't do anything wrong! I just wanted to protect my-" Saint Tail cut him off by raising her gloved hand. Then she shook her head, ponytail swaying.

"I'm not here to steal the Hitan no Ai, Shinji-kun," she said calmly. "I'm here to protect it. I want Kaitou Fallen Angel to steal it as little as you do." His eyes narrowed in a puzzled manner, then he nodded, understanding. Suddenly, the door burst open and a few guards ran in.

"Detective! There's a..." He was interrupted as a streak of black lightning lashed out at him, making him fall to the floor unconscious. Kaitou Fallen Angel stood there, her long braid swaying in the breeze that came from the open door. Everyone gasped, except Saint Tail. She hopped down from her ledge on the window and in front of the bow and arrow, protecting it. Fallen Angel tilted her head to the side and laughed.

"You teamed up with an amateur thief to protect that thing? How pathetic!" she commented. Saint Tail clenched her fists, and got out her wand and hat. Fallen Angel scoffed. "What are you going to do? Get your pigeons to peck me to death?" A flash came from the hat as Saint Tail tapped the wand against it, with her magical count. Many multi-colored balls flung themselves at the rogue thief. The smile vanished from her face as she threw herself on the ground in a roll, heading to Saint Tail, who gasped as she was hit in the shins, but still refused to move. Fallen Angel tried forcing the thief out of the way, but it didn't work. So, she clenched her fist and slammed it into Saint Tail's cheek. 

Saint Tail stood there for a moment, in slight shock, a red mark appearing on her cheek, before returning the blow. Fallen Angel got her with a sharp right hook and Saint Tail dived on her, giving up on fair fighting. She sunk her teeth into the older thief's arm where it wasn't covered by the glove. Fallen Angel let out a yelp and slammed her elbow into Saint Tail's head, making her loosen her grip. Asuka ran over to them, then stopped, a bit wary of entering a vicious fight between the two thieves. The wand appeared in Saint Tail's hand and she swung it at Fallen Angel, who in turn wrestled it from her and used it to knock her half-unconscious. She then threw the wand at Saint Tail and grabbed the Hitan no Ai and flipped up onto the roof.

"That's what she gets for interfering!" she growled and hauled herself onto the roof, where guards were waiting as Asuka's dad followed the thief. With ease, Fallen Angel flipped over the guards and paused, waiting for Asuka Sr. to catch up. When she saw him emerge, she smiled, waved, and let herself fall. Meanwhile...

Asuka ran over to the fallen Saint Tail. He rested a hand on her shoulder. She was laying face down, so he couldn't see her identity. As he went to push her over, her gloved hand snapped up and caught his wrist. "Don't touch me," she gasped, and got up unsteadily, her bangs casting a shadow over her face. "Fallen Angel got away with the Hitan no Ai. Go after her, not me." With that, she snapped her fingers and muttered, "One. Two. Three..." In a poof of pink smoke, the balloon appeared. She clung to the bow on it, left the building, and closed her eyes as the wind carried her away. Asuka stood outside, watching her go away. The dull, flat tone in which she had spoken greatly disturbed him.

Hidden under the outer ledge of a window, out of everyone's sight, she watched Saint Tail float away with narrowed eyes. Suddenly, she gasped. '_Those are Genichirou's balloons!_' she thought in wonder. '_How did that little pest get them?_' Her eyes iced over and she hopped down into the bushes and raced home.

Saint Tail pushed the balloons back into her hat, and then entered the chapel. Seira was immediately by her side, gently touching her friend's cheek. "What happened?" she asked worriedly. "How did..." She stopped, understanding blooming in her eyes. "Don't worry," the young nun-in-training assured her. "Kaitou Fallen Angel will be caught, as long as the Lord wishes it."


	4. Shock! Home is Where the Hitan Is!

The Saint and the Angel

(Fallen, that is)

**Disclaimer: **Nope, still don't own Saint Tail. Be glad; otherwise it'd turn out extremely weird.

**Author's Notes: **Yeah!!! Thankies to everyone for reviewing my fic! I'm happy! *grins* Here's the next chapter! It's not as long as my others, but I'm sorta suffering from writer's block. ._. *sigh* But I will be inspired! ^-^

~

**Episode Four: **Shock! Home is Where the Hitan is!

With her usual cheerful attitude, Meimi snatched her briefcase from the table, bid her mother goodbye, and then ran outside to go to school. In her opinion, she was doing really well covering up her fury and sorrow at letting Fallen Angel get away again. A smile was on her face and her blue eyes were sparkling in the sunlight. Her orange hair waved behind her as she ran, catching Asuka's eye as she sprinted past him.

She arrived in the classroom earlier than Ryoko and Kyoko, for once. Seira wasn't there either, yet, so Meimi had no one to talk with before class, except for Sawatari. But she wasn't really looking forward to a marriage proposal this early in the morning. So the relief showed on her face when Asuka came in, followed by Kyoko and Ryoko. Asuka's face was buried in the newspaper, which bore the headlines "**HITAN NO AI STOLEN!**","**THE INFAMOUS KAITOU FALLEN ANGEL STRIKES AGAIN!**" which did not help Meimi's mood. She headed over to Ryoko and Kyoko where they discussed where they would go to eat a snack after school.

The bell rang and they all went to their seats. Scanning the room, Meimi realized that Seira was still not there. Questions rocketed through her mind for the entire morning, successfully distracting her from her schoolwork no less than seven times. It was to her great relief when the bell rang again, signaling the end of school. She sped past Asuka on her way to the door and raced down the hallway. Paying little attention to the obstacles in her way, Meimi tripped over a trashcan, Rina, and Seira. She prepared to sprint away again before realizing that she had bumped into Seira.

"Thank God!" she exclaimed, helping her nun-in-training friend back onto her feet. "I've been looking for you all day! I thought you might be in the chapel since you weren't at school and if you weren't there you might've been at home so I was going to look. You had me worried because it seems you almost never miss a day of school!" said Meimi in a rush. Seira blinked once or twice before getting the gist of it.

"Meimi," she said quietly. "We have to talk." Without another word, Meimi followed Seira back to the chapel. Seira remained silent as they walked, her expression somber. The grave mood rubbed off a little on Meimi and she was fidgeting with anxiety once they were inside. Seira turned to her friend and sighed. "I've discovered where the Hitan No Ai is. My sources tell me that it's located in your house, Meimi. It's in your mother's closet, hidden in a small compartment in the back." Meimi felt her eyes widen and she gasped.

"You don't think... my mother?" she asked quickly. Seira looked away, not meeting her eyes.

"I don't know, Meimi. I hope not. I think that this thief is trying to lure you into a false sense of security. Be careful." Meimi nodded and sighed. What a day!

The walk home was filled with half-formed ideas on how to get the Hitan no Ai, all of them crazier than the prior. With a frustrated groan, Meimi then thought of Asuka. Her eyes widened. It would be a mission carried out without warning him! She couldn't break her promise... She couldn't! But... what if he was the one to get it? A plan formed in her mind and she smiled. Saint Tail would only be needed once. This would be fun.

~

Asuka yawned and opened the refrigerator door. _Isn't there anything to eat in this house?_ he thought to himself. Then he spotted a chocolate cake lurking in the shadow of the milk jug. With a grin, he reached for it, and then jumped backwards with a yell as it exploded. A rain of confetti blasted him and a small note hit him in the face. Rubbing the small paper bits out of his eyes, he stared at the note.

_Meet me in Park D as soon as you get this. I have something to tell you. Don't try to discover my identity, or I'll have no choice but to escape you again._

_Signed,_

St.*Tail

He gaped at the note for a moment. Suddenly his mind cleared and he grabbed his jacket and ran out the door.

It was a nice night, slightly cool with a gentle breeze, stars dotting the dark sky. The moon rose in a crescent above the trees as the occasional airplane flew across the sea of stars. The park was calm and empty. His dark eyes scanned the benches and the trees, but there was no sign of her. Then a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Don't turn around." He froze where he was and chanced a glance out of the corner of his eye. He could just barely glimpse a gloved hand resting against a sakura-pink skirt. That familiar orange ponytail shined in the moonlight. "If you want to get the Hitan no Ai back then walk away and slowly turn around." He did as he was instructed and then turned to face her. She had her head down, her bangs shadowing her face, and there was no visible smile.

Trying not to stutter, he asked, "Where is it? Where's the Hitan no Ai?" Many vague thoughts chased around his mind. Could it be at his house again? No. Then she'd send him her calling card and go after it herself. Where could it be that she didn't want to go?

Saint Tail took a deep breath. "The item you are looking for is located in the residence of Haneoka Meimi." Shock registered on his face followed by disbelief. "If you don't want to believe me," she added tersely, "then you don't have to. But this could be your only chance." The disbelief slowly ebbed away and was replaced by a suspicious look.

"Why don't you go after it yourself?" he asked distrustfully. "After all, you're the infamous Saint Tail. You could easily break in." But she shook her head and sighed.

"It's too risky for me," she said, a little sadly. "More risky than to talk to you like this. It'll be found in Haneoka Eimi's closet, in a hidden compartment in the back. Thanks, and I'll see you around." Saint Tail turned around and walked off, vanishing as a cloud of pink mist engulfed her. Asuka gaped at the place she had been standing. What was that about? But he knew he had to do it, and he knew he had to do it alone. It was, as she said, too risky to go in with other officers. The real thief could be lurking about. '_What if it's Meimi?_' he suddenly wondered, and then wiped that thought from his mind. It couldn't be. She, of all people, wouldn't be able to pull off something like that. _But what if it's a trap? Furiously, he blanked that out, too. That had been Saint Tail; there was no mistaking it. It couldn't be a trap. She wouldn't do that. And he nodded in sudden resolve._

There was no need to get the police involved. Kaitou Saint Tail had come to him personally for help, for the first time ever. That meant she was beginning to trust him. He _could not mess this up! With that thought steady in his mind, like a torch lit within his soul, Asuka Jr. sprinted to Haneoka Meimi's house. His dark eyes scanned the front and spotted a lit window. As he was heading toward it, a rope was lowered down. He paused and blinked. None other than Meimi appeared in the window._

"Meimi!" he hissed. She blinked and looked down at him. Her blue eyes widened in surprise, but he cut her off before she could say anything. "Let me up!" Slightly confused, she nodded, and backed away. Asuka headed up the rope and flopped into her room. "Meimi, I have to do something important; could you bring your mother into the kitchen for me?" He winced inwardly; he hated lying to her. Meimi, however, had happiness fluttering about inside her stomach, even though she was a bit flustered to have just have Asuka Jr. climb into her window. 

Asuka, expecting a protest, was quite shocked to her reply eagerly. "Sure! I'll go do that right now!" Without another word, she loped out the room. A few moments later, he heard footsteps going down the stairs. "My friend from school, Asuka, wants to talk to you," he heard her say. Now was his chance. He ran out of her room and peeked into the room across the hall. The bathroom. He checked the next one he saw, and was glad to find a bed, dresser, and a closet. _Thank God._ Asuka opened the closet as quietly as he could, and then ran his hand along the back, ignoring the dresses brushing against his cheek. A small handle grazed his palm and a smirk came over his face. He pulled open the secret compartment and was extremely glad to find the Hitan no Ai glittering in the muted light. Without a second thought, his hand snatched it out of the compartment, closed the closet, and then sprinted back to Meimi's room. 

As he headed down the rope, a small squeak alerted his ears. With wide eyes, he looked up but only saw a small hedgehog watching him. It only hit him as he was sprinting towards the police station that the hedgehog was extremely familiar. A smile spread across his face. So Saint Tail was watching over him. And sure enough, she was standing in the shadows right in front of the police station. But no... he realized. It wasn't her. It was another of her dummies. It suddenly exploded into confetti and fireworks exploded in the sky. His eyes widened more as they spelled out words in the night sky.

"_SAINT * TAIL SENDS HER AI_!_" Asuka grinned. _Ai... Hitan no Ai..._ He got it. Smiling, he headed into the police station._

~

Meimi and her mother sat at the kitchen table. Eimi looked quite calm and casual, her blue eyes closed almost lazily. Meimi, however, was slightly tense, ears straining to hear him. And she smiled when she heard the distinct tap of feet hitting the ground behind the bushes. In an inaudible voice, she whispered, "One. Two. Three." And she smiled in a self-satisfied way.

Sure enough, not five minutes later, there came the trademark sound of Saint Tail's fireworks. Immediately Eimi launched herself out of her seat and to the window, Meimi beside her. Eimi drew in a hissing breath as multi-colored sparkling words formed in mid-air. When it was apparent that no more words were going to form, they message hung in the air for a moment, glittering and catching the light of the moon. People on the street stopped and stared, and some even snapped photos, eager to send them to the media. A news van paused on its route and cameras immediately set up, staring at the shining words, desperate to capture the last few moments before they faded into blackness. Eimi took a small breath and forced a small smile.

"It looks like you're friend isn't going to come after all," she said lightly, heading back to the stairs. Meimi nodded, looking slightly disappointed. An act, of course, but her mother didn't know that. Just like Meimi didn't know that her mother's nonchalant appearance was also a façade. As soon as she was out of her daughter's vision, though, she bolted up the stairs and checked her closet. And of course, the Hitan no Ai was missing. Fury overwhelmed her and she saw red.

_Damn that Saint Tail! she thought crossly. _How dare she steal it from right under my nose?! _With a shuddering sigh, Eimi sat down on her bed and glowered._

Sure enough, the newspaper the next morning showed a picture of the sparkling mid-air message of Saint Tail. "**HITAN NO AI RECOVERED!**" "**THIS IS WAR BETWEEN TWO LEGENDS!**"__


End file.
